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Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Sunday Scoop is based on the popular 3-2-1 graphic organizers so many of us use with our students. Tell us three things you HAVE to do, two things you HOPE to do, and one thing you're HAPPY to do. If this is your first time linking up, check out our Linky Parties page for details!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Today just happens to be another Thursday! Time for Technology Thursday! I want to share some tips on how you can start to implement 1:1 technology in your classroom. This post applies to anyone currently with 1:1 technology (you can always try new strategies at the beginning of the school year), anyone that has at least one student device in your classroom, anyone that will be soon getting devices in their classroom! Here are eight tips to get you rolling...

#1: Trust and have faith in your students. One of the most common mistakes that I see in classrooms is teachers not thinking their kids can "handle" using a device. YOU ARE WRONG. Technology use is so prevalent outside of school, you need not worry about if they "can do it". Another huge part of this is having trust in your students. Kids understand how they need to treat electronics, what things they should be doing on them and what they shouldn't be doing. Yep... you will have a kid or two that tries to "trick" you. Showing your students from the beginning that you trust them to make good choices will empower them to do so.

#2: Have a plan on how you want your students to save/share their work. If you are having students complete projects or assignments on their device, they need a way to save it and send it to you. This can be as simple as taking a screenshot and sending it to you or posting their video on YouTube. Another common way for students to save/share assignments is by using google drive. Figure out how you want students to save and share from the beginning. After doing it a few times they will be pros.

#3: Use your resources students. Everyone has a student or two that just catch on quickly to everything you are doing. Have you realized that these students can also phrase your directions in a way that you would have never considered? Have you realized that these students can teach other students what you are trying to have them do? Have you realized that these students take pride in being able to "one up" the teacher? I call these kids my Tech Advisors. They are our go-to kids if we are struggling. Keeps the questions to a minimum!

#4: Establish a routine. When do you plan on using the devices? Try to pick at least one time throughout the day that you can begin using them daily. Then add in more and more time. This will transition students into using the devices regularly.

#5: The devices are not just for "free time". Yep, kids love and beg for free time on the devices. The only problem with that is then they are always asking for it, trying to rush through an assignment to get it, or playing games instead of the assignment/app that you wanted them to be doing. Moderate free choice time and set it up from the very beginning as something that your class needs to "earn".

#6: Get it organized in the beginning. This is crucial. You need to figure out how students will get their devices in the morning or during the specific part of the day that you use them. Figure out how students will put them away (will you have a "tech clean-up crew" who plug in all the devices to charge). Decide your signals for power on/power off so that you do not have to repeat yourself over and over.

#7: Write tech rules. We start every school year by writing our classroom rules and discussing them over and over and over. With this new change (devices in the classroom) students need to know your expectations from the beginning. It can be hard to know what rules you are going to need but students can generally write some that are "catch-alls". {Address using both hands to carry it, careful touching of the screen, have clean/dry hands when using, iPad jobs- not free time and iPad sleeps while teacher is talking.}

#8: Students can share. If you do not have devices for all of your students or even if you do, students can share devices! It helps to build communication and leadership skills, responsible behavior and teamwork. Plus, some assignments turn out so much better with two kids collaborating together! {Did I mention... they like to share with each other... because they do!}

I hope these tips help you out, there will be more coming as I continue down this 1:1 journey in the next few months!

Technology Thursday is a weekly linky dedicated to all things technology related. Check out our Linky Parties page for details on how to link up! Then link your tech posts below! {Did you notice the adorable new linky button? Kristen outdid herself!! Super fantastic! Make sure you grab it to add to your posts!}

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

I know some of you are already out of school. (Insert jealousy here.) You are probably browsing your Bloglovin' account right now sipping a fruity drink by the pool. Sigh... I am not done YET! I have this week and one day to go. Can I ask WHO would think it is a great idea to come back for one day- ONE DAY- (June 1st I might add) after a weekend? NOT me!

To cheer up those of us that are still in school, here are some comics to tickle your funny bone! We can make it!

Sunday, May 24, 2015

The Sunday Scoop is based on the popular 3-2-1 graphic organizers so many of us use with our students. Tell us three things you HAVE to do, two things you HOPE to do, and one thing you're HAPPY to do. If this is your first time linking up, check out all the details on our Sunday Scoop page, then link up below!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

The end of school is quickly approaching for most of us. This gives us a great opportunity to do some house-cleaning on the technology side of things. Take a few minutes each day and check off one of these end-of-the-year tech chores. Then when it's time to return to school, you will be tech ready to go! Go to my store to download the Tech Checklist Freebie!

Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Sunday Scoop is based on the popular 3-2-1 graphic organizers so many of us use with our students. Tell us three things you HAVE to do, two things you HOPE to do, and one thing you're HAPPY to do. If this is your first time linking up, check out our Linky Parties page for details!

Here is what I am up to today. Link up below. :)

While you're here, take a look around our updated blog design! Kristen (Chalk & Apples Blog Design) kept our original colors and graphics intact, but gave us a little facelift this weekend!

Thursday, May 14, 2015

It's Thursday, and that means we are sharing another great technology resource with you! These last weeks of school are my favorite time to try something new. It's low-risk. Testing is done. Students need something fresh and new to keep their attention. And if your class loves it but you hate it, there's no need to continue using it for months to come! Today, I'm sharing a site that I discovered during a recent PD session at school. This is one I will definitely be using next year!

My students love any excuse to touch our Smart Board, so I am always looking for new, ready to go games and activities for them. This site is chock full of interactive games, activities, and primary source documents. No matter what age or subject you teach, there's something you can use in your classroom at SAS Curriculum Pathways, and it's all FREE! You'll have to create an account to get started, but it just takes a second, and they don't even spam you with promo emails!

Once you log in, you'll see a menu of subjects (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, & Spanish) on the left hand side along with some featured resources in the center of the page. You can narrow your search by grade level, type of activity, and even required web browser plugins. I'm going to share a couple of resources I found for what I'm currently teaching, but there really are activities for every subject & topic, so browse around the site!

This one is a game on fraction operations. Students can use the warm-up version for practice or they can play the game. At the bottom right corner, there's an option to save, print, or email results to the teacher.

One of my favorite parts is the Primary Sources section. I found lots of resources on the Boston Massacre to show students the different accounts of the story based on first-hand reports. You can search these by grade level, too, and many of the original documents also have an excerpt version for elementary grade students!

Technology Thursday is a weekly linky dedicated to all things technology related. Check out our Linky Parties page for details on how to link up! Then link your tech posts below!

Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Sunday Scoop is based on the popular 3-2-1 graphic organizers so many of us use with our students. Tell us three things you HAVE to do, two things you HOPE to do, and one thing you're HAPPY to do. If this is your first time linking up, check out our Linky Parties page for details!

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Technology Thursday is a weekly linky dedicated to all things technology related. Check out our Linky Parties page for details on how to link up!

At the end of the year, I love focusing on Non-Fiction with my kids. We have used it numerous times throughout the year, but we really dive in during the last few weeks. It can be hard to find some news articles for my students. Over the past few months, I have found a variety of websites that my students just love!! I have compiled a list of go-to websites if you are looking at adding some news to your curriculum check out these websites!!

I hope you check out some of these websites or bookmark them for next year! Link up below with your tech tips!!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Favorite Things Linky is a great way to share your 3 favorite anythings! Grab the template and button and link up below! If this is your first time linking up, check out our Linky Parties page for more details!

We only have 14 days of school left!! Wahoo! My students (and me too) are getting very excited. Today I am going to share all about my favorite end of the year activities! What do you like to do at the end of every year?

On the last day of school, I take about 15 minutes to do a quick share activity with my class. We circle up and they each get to share something that was their favorite for the year. It ends up being a ginormous LAUGHING fest. We giggle for the entire 15 minutes. The only rule that I have... we can't make fun of someone. They keep it kind and we have a great time with it!! Can't wait to hear what my kiddos share this year!

I take LOTS of pictures all year long. Like in the THOUSANDS. I love too see how my kiddos grow and develop! Looking back at pictures from the beginning of the year reminds us how far we have come. I go through and pick a couple hundred photos and stick them in iMovie with a few songs and BOOM. Done. Quick class DVD. I make a copy for all of my students. I love watching the DVD with my kiddos on the last day of school!

One day during the last week of school, I have students write one last letter. I have them write a letter to the next year fourth graders. I tell them to write about what their favorite thing to learn, what they struggled with the most, how fourth grade is different from third grade, why they are excited to go to fifth grade and any advice they have for them. They brainstorm and then start drafting their letter. It is always interesting to see what they share. I place these letters on my new fourth graders desks on the first day of school the next year! Makes for a fun way to start the day in the fall. It leads into a quick conversation about what they are most nervous/excited about!!

Are you ready for the end of the school year?! I hope it goes quickly and smoothly for you!! Link up below with some of your favorite things.